Hold Congress Accountable

Knowledge is power. It makes sure people understand what is happening to their country, and how they can make a difference. FreedomWorks University will give you the tools to understand economics, the workings of government, the history of the American legal system, and the most important debates facing our nation today. Enroll in FreedomWorks University today!

Search FreedomWorks

Resources

Blog

Romney Scores on Education in Debate

During the debate on Wednesday night, President Barack Obama and GOP nominee Mitt Romney were asked the question “Does the Federal Government have a responsibility to improve the quality of public education in America?” The candidates, as expected, had very different answers.

Obama stated that the Federal Government has “a significant role to play,” and that “This is where budgets matter because budgets reflect choices.” He touted the Race to the Top program’s questionable record of success as proof that the Federal Government’s involvement in education made schools more successful.

Romney focused more on the importance of state, local, and family decisions in education, both in hiring educators and in the education itself. “The primary responsibility for education is, of course, at the state and local level...I happen to believe that kids who are getting federal dollars from I.D.E.A. or Title 1, these are disabled kids or...lower-income kids...I want them to be able to go to the school of their choice.” He continued that he would have federal funds “follow the child and let the parent and the child decide where to send their student.”

On the subject of education, he also proposed making schools more competitive and grading schools to help parents choose to “take their child to a school that’s...more successful...to make (education) more effective and efficient.” Romney also drove home the fact that he has experience in making education work, as Massachusetts schools were ranked number one in the country, “I don’t just talk about it. Massachusetts schools are ranked number one in the nation...this is because I care about education for all of our kids.”

Romney also snuck in a zinger in response to Obama’s comment about budgets, saying “The place where you put your money is a pretty clear indication of where your heart is. You put $90 billion into green jobs...that would have hired two million teachers.”

Education doesn’t always get the focus that it deserves in political discourse, but voters were listening on Wednesday night. In fact, education was the most tweeted topic of the night, topping even jobs and the economy. With education in the spotlight, let’s hope that students are the winners in November.

In the final days before the deadline to sign HB 3399, FreedomWorks grassroots activists are sending thousands of messages to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin to repeal Common Core in Oklahoma. The fate of education in Oklahoma rests in Governor Fallin’s hands, who needs to sign HB 3399 into law to stop the federal takeover of education.

Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli addressed the assembly at FreePAC Kentucky 2014. Cuccinelli is helping FreedomWorks and Senator Rand Paul sue the federal government to protect the privacy of all Americans against the massive NSA domestic spying program.

Faith, responsibility, and security are the three words Senator Mark Pryor uses to introduce himself to voters of Arkansas and serve as his cornerstone for why he should be reelected for another term. However, if these are the words Senator Pryor uses to guide himself in the Senate, we suggest he take a hard look at what those words actually mean.

Personal Freedom and Power 106: Funding Government
Senator Mike Lee: “The best thing we can do in Congress is to withhold funds, for Congress to exercise its power of the purse.”
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is a scholar of our Constitution as well as an advocate for freedom. Over the years, the Obama Administration has unilaterally issued hundreds of rules impacting all aspects of our governing laws – environment, immigration, welfare, war, ObamaCare and the list goes on. Senator Lee knows that Congress has the power of the purse and Congress should withhold funds when the President makes unilateral changes, modifies or ignores existing laws. Recently Lee said, “The best thing we can do in Congress is to withhold funds, for Congress to exercise its power of the purse.”

Washington, DC- President Obama finally released his Fiscal Year 2015 budget, reported to increase spending by 63 percent and add $8.3 trillion to the debt over the next 10 years. The increased spending will be paid for by $1.8 trillion in new taxes, on top of the $1.7 trillion in new taxes since Obama has entered the Oval Office.

President Obama continues to lose the youth’s support-and fast. Just a few months ago, Harvard released a poll showing that 57% of Millennials disapproved of ObamaCare. That same poll showed that 54% of Americans from ages 18-29 disapproved of Obama, while only 41% approved. These statistics aren’t all that surprising, as Obama has made things extremely hard for the average millennial in his first 5 years. Student loan debt, job availability, ObamaCare and the overall national debt have crippled America’s youth.

Fearing baldness, I long ago stopped scratching my head at the public moves of the Republican hierarchy. With Obamacare crumbling like a celebrity marriage all around them, the Democrats are so desperate that they're focusing on raising the minimum wage-a "feel good" bunch of nonsense that benefits an age demographic that isn't even old enough to vote for them. But they need people to talk about anything but Obamacare.

While our federal government readies itself for yet another year of stagnation, statehouses from coast to coast are considering plans that will dramatically impact the lives of their residents. Some of the most promising ideas will improve state educational systems by giving parents more choices and giving students more tools to succeed.

The idea of one-size-fits-all education is being discredited at the same time Common Core endorses that very idea. Common Core seeks to put schools even further into a box, and that is one of the reasons that non-traditional forms of schooling are gaining in popularity.